Tales of the DC Universe - Batman
by DragoniteGamer
Summary: First story in the "Tales of the DC Universe" continuity; Bruce Wayne has a dark past; his parents were killed by a mugger when he was 8 years old. 12 years later, Bruce decides to use his company, Wayne Enterprises, to create a suit that will help him fight crime, and avenge his parent's death. When a new criminal arrives in Gotham, Bruce decides the time is right; he, is Batman.
1. Chapter 1

It was a stormy night. Young Bruce Wayne and his parents, Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne walked out of the theater.

"Wow, Daddy, that was a great movie," Bruce was saying. "I liked the part when the Gray Ghost jumped off the building to escape the explosion."

"I'm glad you liked it, son." Thomas said with a smile, adjusting his tie.

"Martha smiled. "Come on. Let's go get ice cream and bring some home to Alfred."

They began to walk down the street.

"It's so far," Bruce complained.

"Don't worry, son," his mother reassured. "We'll take this shortcut right here."

"Down the dark alley?"

Thomas chuckled. "Bruce, listen. We'll protect you, no matter what. It'll only be a minute."

And when they walked down the alleyway, Bruce regretted complaining.

A man in a dark trench coat with a fedora began walking towards the family, a smirk on his face, his hand in the coat pocket.

"May we help you?" Thomas asked with a glare, standing protectively in front of his family.

"The pearl necklace. Hand it over." The man said simply, pointing at Martha.

"No!" Bruce wailed. "I got that for her on Mother's Day!"

The man shrugged. "Sucks to suck, doesn't it, kid?" He looked back at Martha. "Now, the necklace."

"No." Thomas said.

"All right, then."

The man slowly pulled a gun out of his coat pocket. Bruce starred at the gun in horror as he pulled the trigger and the bullet went straight into his mother, and she fell to the ground.

"No!" Bruce cried.

Thomas tackled the man to the ground, sending a punch to his jaw. The man whimpered quietly as Thomas continued to beat him up, sending punches into his ribs. As the scuffle continued, the man grabbed Thomas by his head and threw him onto the ground, quickly gaining the upper hand. Thomas grabbed onto his head in agony; blood poured from it. The man picked up the gun and pointed it at Thomas's head.

"Oh boy, Dr. Wayne, you sure do regret your choice now, don't you?" The man sneered.

BANG.

Bruce's father fell to the ground, dead. His limp body lay on the ground of the alleyway. His eyes, fear widening them, remained open.

"Dad!" Bruce exclaimed, tears coming out of his eyes.

The man stared down on Bruce.

"It's not worth killing this kid. What's he gonna do, gather up the mob?" The man thought.

The man shoved Bruce into a wall.

"See ya, kid."

The man yanked the necklace off of his mother's neck, and ran off into the night.

A weak, emotional, broken Bruce crawled over to the dead bodies that were once his lively, bright parents.

"Mom... Dad..."

Bruce broke down in tears as the sirens sounded. The Gotham City Police Department arrived at the scene in the nick of time.

"What seems to be the problem?" A younger cop asked.

An older man, the commissioner, stared at the dead bodies. "Somebody killed Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne."

The younger man walked over to Bruce and knelt down. "These your parents?"

Bruce nodded.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Bruce. Bruce Wayne." The boy looked up at the young police officer.

"I'm James Gordon." He helped Bruce up. "Don't worry, buddy. We will find who killed your parents and set things right."

"Bruce's eyes began to tear. "Promise?"

"I promise." James Gordon replied with a confident smile.

That was all 12 years ago.

The Gotham News anchor, Vicki Vale, Bruce's girlfriend, was covering the story.

"This was all 12 years ago that Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife, Martha, were killed by cold street mugger Joe Chill. Their son, Bruce, is still alive today. Channel 5 News, Vicki Vale, Crime Alley."

The news report finished, and on came a rerun of the TV show "Friends".

"What are you going to do today, Master Wayne?" asked loyal butler and mentor, Alfred J. Pennyworth, to a now 20 year old Bruce Wayne.

Bruce glanced up at him. "I don't know, Alfred." He replied honestly, taking a brief sip of his coffee. "I don't know."

Bruce got up, put on a leather jacket, and stepped into his new Audi R8. He was 20 years old, and a multimillionare; he became the owner of Wayne Enterprises, a company that has been thriving since it's foundation in the 19th century, thanks to Alan Wayne.

As Bruce began to drive down the street, he got a phone call from his business manager and friend, Lucius Fox.

"Lucius, talk to me."

"That movie Wayne Entertainment was producing? A box office failure. It got $115 million dollars in sales, with a $300 million budget."

Bruce sighed. "Again? I knew a sequel was a bad idea."

Lucius chuckled. "Yeah. Well, you know that project you and I were working on?"

"Yeah, the armor?"

"Get down to Wayne Tower. It's ready."

Bruce smiled to himself; the armor, as far as Lucius knew, was for the military, and was a supposed "prototype". However, it was for bruce's own personal needs; what he needed to use it for? Fighting crime, to avenge his parents.

"I'll be right there." Bruce said, hanging up, as he drove down the streets of Gotham City, New Jersey.


	2. Chapter 2

Bruce walked calmly inside Wayne Tower, going up to his office. As he entered, Lucius stood with a smile, a tarp covering something on display.

"Lucius." Bruce greeted, shaking his hand.

"Bruce." Lucius smiled. "You look more and more like your father every day."

Bruce, naturally, heard this often; Lucius had been a close friend of his father, and often got him out of financial trouble. It was Lucius, actually, that saved Wayne Enterprises from a failed business partnership with Powers Industries.

Bruce chuckled. "So I've heard. Now, the armor?"

Lucius nodded. "Always wanting to get to the point. Just like your father, also."

Lucius gently took the tarp off, revealing the armor; a suit with a cowl shaped like a bat, with a bat emblem on the chest. The suit itself was gray, whereas the boots, underwear, cape, cowl, and gloves were black. There was some form of utility belt; yellow, with many pockets.

"What kind of stuff do I get to keep in this belt?"

Lucius smiled. "Just about anything."

Bruce stared at the suit. He really liked it; the gloves had spikes on it, toward the elbow on the suit.

"When can I test it out?"

Lucius began exiting the room. "That's up to you, Mr. Wayne. It's yours now."

And with that, Lucius shut the door behind him, leaving Bruce alone in his office, with the suit. He stared at it for a while, and then decided to try it on.

* * *

Later that night, Gotham News reporter Vicki Vale walked down the street towards her apartment after a long day at work. The report she did, so her boss claims, moved many people. She cared about the Wayne family; after all, Bruce Wayne was her boyfriend, and had been her friend even since she was bullied back in the 2nd grade. Suddenly, however, a street mugger came up to her a,d grabbed her purse.

"Let go!" Vicki insisted, tugging on her purse.

"Don't resist, Mrs. Vale," the mugger barked. "Or it'll get worse."

He pulled a gun out of his pocket, pointing at her head. "The purse. Now."

Vicki was hesitant; she didn't want to die. The report on the Wayne's could've been her big break.

"No."

"Well, then, Mrs. Vale.." the mugger hesitated. "Take off your clothes."

Vicki shuddered. "I beg your pardon?"

"Your clothes, take 'em off. I wanna see the sugar Bruce Wayne has been gettin'." The mugger said in his gruff voice with a smirk.

Nervously, Vicki shook her head. The mugger, now angry, shoved her to the ground and began to tear off her clothes.

"Stop, please!" Vicki wailed, pushing him.

"Shut up!" The mugger ordered. "Or you WILL die."

Just then, a caped hero swung in, kicking the mugger in the face. The mugger fell to the ground, the gun sliding down the street in the rain. The mugger's beanie fell off his head, landing in the side of the road. The hero stared down at him.

"Who the hell are you?" The mugger asked frantically.

"I'm Batman." The man hissed through his cowl.

The mugger scrambled to stand up, and bolted down the street.

Vicki got up and put her jacket back on. "Well, thank you for yo-"

Before she could finish, "Batman" was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been 2 months since Batman first surfaced, saving Vicki Vale from the street mugger. Ever since then, Batman has been Gotham City's "mascot" in many ways; Batman graffiti all over the streets, Batman comic books being published by Wayne Entertainment, and mobsters warning their workers to watch out for Batman. It made Bruce feel great.

A few days after he saved Vicki on his first night out, she had decided to do a report on him. "I almost got mugged a few nights ago, but I was saved by a masked vigilante who called himself Batman. He beat up the man who attempted to mug me, and scared him off into the night. Whoever you are, Batman, and wherever you are, thank you. Vicki Vale, Gotham News."

* * *

Bruce took a sip of his coffee, looking at all the newspapers and magazines and blogs covering Batman, featuring blurred pictures of Batman swinging through the night via grappling hook, or fighting a criminal.

"You're interested in this Batman, eh, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked, picking up Bruce's cup and refilling it with coffee.

Bruce nodded. "Actually, Alfred, there's something I have to tell you. I.."

"Master Bruce, I know you're Batman. It was more obvious than the time I threw you a surprise birthday party."

Bruce chuckled; now, that was obvious. He even saw his presents hiding by the garage door. But still, Bruce looked up at Alfred and nodded.

"Alfred, you can't tell anybody."

"Of course, Master Bruce. I did promise your parents that I would protect you, no matter what." Alfred said with a smile.

"Thanks, Alfred." Bruce said with a smile.

"No problem at all, Master Wayne." Alfred replied, returning to his duties in the kitchen.

* * *

A young man, about 2 years younger than Bruce, nervously walked into an office somewhere in Gotham. The sign above the door read _Tony Zucco_. As the man entered the room, Tony Zucco lifted up his fedora, and tossed the used cigarette in the trash can.

"That could cause a fire, if lit." The nervous man commented dryly.

"Shut up, Napier." Zucco said with a smirk, folding his arms. "How did that robbery go at the Iceburg Lounge? Get any of Cobblepot's money?"

"N-no sir." The man said with a frown.

"Not a single penny." Zucco shook his head in disappointment. "How saddening. Well, Jack Napier, you may be out of the job."

Jack groaned; this was the third time he got this threat. First it was when he failed to kill Carmine Falcone, a rival mobster, and the second time was when he failed to steal WayneTech's newest piece of machinery. "No, Tony, please. You know I got my wife, Jeannie, and my unborn son, to support. Last time I got fired, it was at Ace Chemicals, and I tried to be a stand-up comedian. It failed. I suck, and all I wanted to do is make people laugh."

Zucco was using a toothpick to get his lunch out of his teeth. "Well, this story is pretty amusing."

Jack cringed. "Zucco, I need to support my wife and kid. All I want is to make people laugh, and be a good dad. My dad was awful to me, I tell you awful."

"Awful, eh?" Zucco took his fedora off. "Haven't heard this part of the story, Napier. Tell me about it."

* * *

_When Jack Napier was 8, his father was a very serious man. Not once did he laugh. Occasionally at whatever Rush Limbaugh said, but never at his son's jokes. One day, when Mark Ledger Napier took his son, Jack, to the circus, Jack stood on an elephant and pulled his pants down. And that, was the first time Mark Napier actually really laughed. And ever since then, Jack has been trying to make everyone else laugh._

* * *

"Touching." Zucco was out of his chair now, throwing darts at the dartboard by the door. "Actually, I have a job for you." He turned to face Jack. "There's, uh, a guy that owes me money that's in town. His name's C.C. Haly, owner of Haly's Circus. He's owed me money for 10 years, and I've had enough."

Jack shuddered. "So should I take his money?"

Zucco shook his head. "Kill him, Napier."

Jack hesitated. "Yes, sir."

* * *

Bruce was driving down the street in his Audi R8 with his girlfriend, Vicki. They were going to the Haly's Circus performance, for the first time in Gotham for 10 years. Vicki was rambling on, however, about Batman.

"...and he had a really cool black cape, and gloves, and cowl, and boots. And he had a bat emblem on his chest, and his cowl resembled a bat. It was amazing!"

"I bet it was, Vicki." Bruce said with a smile.

Bruce parked the car and lead the way to their seats. There was lots in the show; a bearded lady, tigers, clowns, and acrobats. But next was the best part. C.C. Haly, owner of the circus, walked out onto the circus floor.

"And up next, the circus's most famous event, The Flying Graysons, featuring John, Mary, and Richard Grayson!" C.C. Haly.

In the audience, Tony Zucco knitted his eyebrows. He picked up his cell phone, and called Napier.

"Hello?"

"Napier, change of plans. Don't kill Haly, kill the Flying Graysons."

"How come?" Napier asked with curiosity.

"Because if Haly loses something close to him, he'll break."

"Gotcha." Napier hung up, loaded the gun, and pointed it at the two parents of the Graysons clan. He pulled the trigger, and the bullet went flying through Mary Grayson's stomach, screams filling the crowd. The gun was loaded and shot again, this time hitting John Grayson in the head.

"Where is the third?" Napier grumbled, searching for the young boy. Suddenly, however, Batman landed behind him.

"You may be looking for Richard, but you'll be scared now that I'm here." Batman whispered gruffly.

"Holy crap!" Napier's gun fell to the ground, staring at Batman. With a shove, Napier ran off into the night, Batman falling into a crate. He stood up, using his grappling hook to swing through the night. As he soared down the streets of Gotham, he saw Napier turning right on West Street, toward Ace Chemicals.

Batman landed on one of the rooftops, leaping from one to another, until he landed at Ace Chemicals. Napier rushed in, running past vats. Batman crashed through one of the windows, landing in front of Napier.

"You'll regret killing the Graysons." Batman hissed.

"Try catching me now, Batman!" Napier yelled, and leaped into a vat of chemicals.

With shock, Batman watched as the man sank to the bottom of the vat. Assuming he died, Batman exited Ace Chemicals, beginning to grapple to another building and to swing off into the night. Once Batman was gone, Napier climbed out of the vat, his hair green, skin white, teeth yellow, and lips cherry red. His phone, somehow untouched, began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Jack Napier?"

"Yes, who is this?" Jack asked.

"Your wife was killed today by corrupt cop Oliver Hammett. He set fire to your home, and your wife and unborn son died in the fire." The unknown man said. "I'm terribly sorry."

Jack hung up, dropping his phone into the vat in shock. Jeannie was dead, and so was his son. He was upset. He was going to find Oliver Hammett, and kill him. But couldn't go as Jack Napier to kill Hammett.

The death of his wife and unborn son was what drove Jack Napier insane.

And you know what? Jack was so insane, he began to laugh. He knew who Oliver Hammett was; he was a very serious cop.

"You know what, Hammett?" Jack said to himself, chuckling. "Let's put a smile on that face of yours."

And he left Ace Chemicals, a evil plan brewing in his mind.


End file.
